Celebrity Buffets

[rs12065]

We were on the Millenium 2 years ago and are planning a cruise on Solstice in either January or February 2012.

We found the dinner buffet on the Millie, quite disappointing as selections were limited to pasta, pizza, sushi, etc. Unfortunately, we were forced into the buffet because our ship sponsored excursion arrived back too late for our early seating in the MDR.

Does anyone have a more recent review of the buffet on Celebrity ships, particularly the S Class? Our cruises on Princess allowed us to have many of the same dinner choices in the buffet as were being served in the MDR.

[Alsmez]

I was just on Equinox and I did a detailed review of all of the dining venues. Here's the link to the buffet review: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1366176

 

Unfortunately, the buffet at dinner is not much more extensive than what you experienced on Millie, although they have added an Indian food area I believe. We never ate dinner up there because of the limited choices, although we did usually go up and check it out for kicks.

[Denny01]

On the S-Class ships (and M-Class after their upgrades - Constellation only right now) also have the Bistro On 5. It is a crepe, salad, sandwich and desert cafe that is just great. Open from about 6am to 2am. Cost $5 (mainly for service charge) and you are served and eat as much as you wish.

 

One of our favorite alternate dining places.

 

Den

[Alsmez]

I second the Bistro on Five recommendation - we only ate there once but the food was really good and the ambiance much nicer than the buffet.

[Denny01]

I second the Bistro on Five recommendation - we only ate there once but the food was really good and the ambiance much nicer than the buffet.

 

I called them sandwiches, but they are 'paninis', and you can order wines by the glass (good selection) and beers too.

 

Den

[Trader Ron]

The dinner buffet was VERY disappointing when I was on the Solstice in January. It's much better on HAL and Princess.

[sammamishcruiser]

We were on the Millenium 2 years ago and are planning a cruise on Solstice in either January or February 2012.

We found the dinner buffet on the Millie, quite disappointing as selections were limited to pasta, pizza, sushi, etc. Unfortunately, we were forced into the buffet because our ship sponsored excursion arrived back too late for our early seating in the MDR.

Does anyone have a more recent review of the buffet on Celebrity ships, particularly the S Class? Our cruises on Princess allowed us to have many of the same dinner choices in the buffet as were being served in the MDR.

It has not been mentioned yet, but you have several options

1. Ask your room steward for a MDR menu for that day and you can order from the menu and have it brought to your room at a time after your excursion gets back.

2. Order room service. I found the selection to be quite good (try the chief salad or the club sandwich) Usually arrives in about 1/2 hour or so. We ordered pizza one night @ about 11:30 p.m. it was in our room within 15 min. We even ordered beer!

3. Make reservations for that night in the speciality restaurant for later after you get back. Well worth the extra $$! IMHO

 

It seemed to me that there was always some food around , somewhere. If not I would just ask your room steward or Butler. I have found on Celebrity that if you just ask, it seems to magically appear:cool:.

[eandj]

The dinner buffet was VERY disappointing when I was on the Solstice in January. It's much better on HAL and Princess.

 

 

The S class ships have the huge lunch buffet instead. In the evening they have a spread that certainly would fill a person's needs. But all food stations aren't used in the evening. Considering the ship has 3 specialties, the MDR (Traditional and Select) as well as the Bistro and in room dining, (and the outdoor grill until 6:30) I don't criticize that they don't go all out in the evening buffet. We checked out the Equinox evening buffet in Jan and I was pleasantly surprised with the selection. I knew it wasn't going to be of the lunch time magnitude, but certainly had plenty to choose from.

 

I think on the M class ships, they have a larger spread in the evenings since getting rid of the "casual dining" and the fewer specialties. But haven't experienced an M class ship in three years, so I'm going by what has been posted here.

[Denny01]

The dinner buffet was VERY disappointing when I was on the Solstice in January. It's much better on HAL and Princess.

I found just the opposite. The Princess buffet is open all the time, but I thought it had a much smaller choice of items for breakfast and lunch, and they never changed. I found Solstice to have a lot of choices and I loved the lslands that meant you didn't have to stand in long lines for the buffet. The Golden Princess also had islands, but it had four buffet areas that were pretty much the same.

 

Just my subjective opinion. I found all of them good, but Solstice better.

 

Edit: Oops, trader Ron said he was talking about Dinner Buffet, and I was going on and on about the breakfast and lunch buffet...sorry! I didn't waste time in the buffet for dinner. there werre too many other options as previously listed so I didn't see the Buffet as an option I'd even try.

 

Den

[rs12065]

Thanks to all who replied. We are very knowledeable about options to the dinner buffet, but my post was not about asking advice as to alternatives to the buffet, but a question as to other cruisers experiences on other Celebrity ships regarding the DINNER BUFFET.

[cruisestitch]

You will find the dinner buffet much as you remembered it.

[Denny01]

Thanks to all who replied. We are very knowledeable about options to the dinner buffet, but my post was not about asking advice as to alternatives to the buffet, but a question as to other cruisers experiences on other Celebrity ships regarding the DINNER BUFFET.

 

Not to get into an argument over how people are trying to assist you, but you received three posts telling you the Dinner Buffet hasn't changed and since you seemed bothered by the restricted buffet, others were giving you alternatives.

 

Kind of how all discussions go.

 

Don't quite understand what else can be posted after you were told it hasn't changed much since your experience.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

Den

 

Den